<div align="justify">Industries and mining and infrastructure projects may have to obtain a no objection certificate (NoC) for drawing groundwater, with the Centre proposing new guidelines.<br /><div align="justify"><br />According to the draft issued by the Ministry of Water Resources, all existing and new industries, and mining and infrastructure projects must obtain an NoC for drawing groundwater.<br /><br />However, individual domestic households and the agriculture sector have been exempted.<br /><br />The guidelines, intended for better management of groundwater, also proposed to levy a new water conservation fee based on the quantum of extraction. The fee will depend on the use, area and quantity, and varies from Re 1 to Rs 6 per cubic metre. A cubic metre is 1,000 litres, and the fee should be paid to the state government agencies.<br /><br />The guidelines were sent to the states, seeking their comments, an official told DH.<br /><br />Individual households having up to 2 HP pumps from a single tubewell in their premises will be exempted from seeking the NoC.<br /><br />The NoC would be considered only if the water supply department failed to supply the adequate amount of water in the area, the draft stated.<br /><br />The government water supply agencies are also required to seek an NoC from authorised officers for existing as well as new schemes based on groundwater sources, the draft guidelines read.</div></div>
<div align="justify">Industries and mining and infrastructure projects may have to obtain a no objection certificate (NoC) for drawing groundwater, with the Centre proposing new guidelines.<br /><div align="justify"><br />According to the draft issued by the Ministry of Water Resources, all existing and new industries, and mining and infrastructure projects must obtain an NoC for drawing groundwater.<br /><br />However, individual domestic households and the agriculture sector have been exempted.<br /><br />The guidelines, intended for better management of groundwater, also proposed to levy a new water conservation fee based on the quantum of extraction. The fee will depend on the use, area and quantity, and varies from Re 1 to Rs 6 per cubic metre. A cubic metre is 1,000 litres, and the fee should be paid to the state government agencies.<br /><br />The guidelines were sent to the states, seeking their comments, an official told DH.<br /><br />Individual households having up to 2 HP pumps from a single tubewell in their premises will be exempted from seeking the NoC.<br /><br />The NoC would be considered only if the water supply department failed to supply the adequate amount of water in the area, the draft stated.<br /><br />The government water supply agencies are also required to seek an NoC from authorised officers for existing as well as new schemes based on groundwater sources, the draft guidelines read.</div></div>
